Our story
How it started
It was the 50-pound bag of chicken feed. It didn’t seem heavy for Michealene, but the next day, Father’s Day, she couldn’t move. She had been busy building billion-dollar brands and wasn’t taking care of herself. The next morning, her spine was not happy. Every time she moved; the intense nerve pain caused her to blackout. After surgery and treatment, still her core was not solid and a dear friend, Lisa W., suggested she go to a trainer and develop some core strength. This was about 2007.
The trainer was Geoff Rudy, a former NCAA Division 1 gymnast at San Jose State University, who had suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury resulting in a spinal fusion of his lumbar. Geoff was a personal trainer specializing in strength and conditioning, rehabilitation, and sports massage therapy.
As they began training, they fantasized about a pillow that would improve quality sleep while getting blood flow and nutrients to the spine. “We should design a series of pillows” they joked. Life went on and Geoff was pursuing a degree in Chiropractic Medicine, and Post-Doctoral Diplomate education in Rehabilitation and Acupuncture. Michealene was off to filming a movie in Zimbabwe. They forgot about it. But their spines never did.
Years later, circa 2018, Michealene and Geoff were still desperate to get relief. Unsatisfied after trying dozens of pillows, they revisited the idea and began research to create a perfect pillow. They discovered one size doesn’t fit everyone. Different types of sleepers and body types require different sizes and shapes.
The pandemic changed the way many people thought about rest, recovery, and the spaces where they sleep. For Imbibe Lifestyles, it deepened our commitment to designing pillows with thoughtful materials, purposeful structure, and support that helps people sleep more comfortably. During the early development of Pearl, Imbibe had the opportunity to collaborate with LEGGETT & PLATT, one of the largest bedding manufacturers in the world, helping bring the company’s first pillow design to market.
As Imbibe has grown, manufacturing has transitioned to 3Z Brands. Today, the Imbibe pillow system includes five designs, with Pearl, Aruna, and Junior currently available for purchase and additional models in development for future release.
